The invention relates to a corona ignition device for igniting fuel in a combustion chamber of an engine by means of a corona discharge. Such corona ignition devices are generally known from DE 10 2010 045 173 A1.
Fuel can be ignited more easily in a combustion chamber of an engine by a corona discharge, the greater is the volume of the corona discharge. Center electrodes of corona ignition devices therefore generally carry an ignition head having a plurality of ignition tips, from each of which a corona discharge can start.
Ignition heads having a plurality of ignition tips can be produced very cost effectively by cutting out from sheet metal, as is described in DE 10 2010 045 175 A1. However, only few spatial directions can be covered by the ignition tips of a star-shaped ignition head cut out from sheet metal, and therefore the attainable volume of the corona discharges starting from the ignition tips is limited.
With ignition heads that have a plurality of ignition needles, a corona discharge can be generated in a much greater volume since the ignition needles can protrude in any directions from the ignition head. The production of ignition heads of this type is associated with much higher costs, however.